Sunday, August 30, 2009

We often see the bad effects of organized religion. Fundamentalists of all persuasions cause trouble politically, socially, economically, etc. They make it into the news as terrorists, political oppressors, and other bad habits. But there is a good side as well. A new study found that

o religious people report better healtho they say they have more energyo that their health is bettero that they experience less paino their social lives and personal behaviors are also healthiero they are more likely to be marriedo they are more likely to have supportive friendso they are more likely to report being treated with respecto they have greater confidence in the healthcare and medical systemo they are less likely to smoke.”

This was in a study of 300,000 observations in 140 countries, so it’s a pretty powerful sample size statistically. As a religious person myself, it is always good to see the positive side.